South africa vs canada in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 turned into a commanding showcase of South Africa’s all-round strength, as the Proteas defeated Canada by 57 runs in Group D, Match 9. A fluent half-century from Aiden Markram, followed by a ruthless bowling display led by Lungi Ngidi, ensured South Africa registered a comprehensive win and strengthened their position in the group standings.
The match underlined the gap in experience between the two sides, though Canada showed flashes of promise, particularly through Navneet Dhaliwal’s fighting knock. Ultimately, South Africa’s depth in both batting and bowling proved too strong on the day.
Match Overview: South Africa vs Canada
| Match | South Africa vs Canada |
|---|---|
| Tournament | ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 |
| Group | Group D |
| Match No. | 9 |
| Result | South Africa won by 57 runs |
| South Africa Score | 213/4 (20 overs) |
| Canada Score | 156/8 (20 overs) |
| Player of the Match | Aiden Markram |
Toss and Team Strategy
Canada captain Dilpreet Bajwa won the toss and elected to bowl first, hoping his bowlers could restrict South Africa on a surface that appeared good for batting early on. However, the decision backfired as South Africa’s top and middle order capitalised on loose deliveries and maintained a high scoring rate throughout the innings.
South Africa Batting: Markram Leads the Charge
South Africa started briskly, with Quinton de Kock and Ryan Rickelton providing early momentum. The Proteas reached 50 runs in just 4.3 overs, putting immediate pressure on the Canadian attack.
Although de Kock was bowled for 25 off 22 balls, the run flow never slowed. Rickelton played a positive knock, scoring 33 off 21 balls with three boundaries and a six before falling to Ansh Patel, who was Canada’s most effective bowler.
The innings truly revolved around captain Aiden Markram, who looked in sublime touch. He smashed 10 fours and one six, reaching his half-century at a rapid pace. Markram scored 50 runs off just 28 balls, anchoring the innings while allowing others to play freely around him.
In the death overs, David Miller and Tristan Stubbs unleashed their power-hitting abilities. Miller remained unbeaten on 39 off 23 balls, striking three sixes, while Stubbs added an unbeaten 34 off 19 balls, ensuring South Africa crossed the 200-run mark comfortably.
South Africa brought up:
- 50 runs in 4.3 overs
- 100 runs in 9.5 overs
They eventually finished at an imposing 213/4 in 20 overs.
South Africa Batting Highlights
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aiden Markram (c) | 50 | 28 | 8 | 1 |
| David Miller* | 39 | 23 | 1 | 3 |
| Tristan Stubbs* | 34 | 19 | 2 | 2 |
| Ryan Rickelton | 33 | 21 | 3 | 1 |
| Quinton de Kock | 25 | 22 | 2 | 0 |
Ansh Patel was the standout bowler for Canada, finishing with three wickets, including the crucial dismissals of Rickelton and Dewald Brevis.
Canada Bowling: Ansh Patel Stands Out
Canada’s bowling attack struggled to contain South Africa’s aggressive batting lineup. Despite the overall pressure, Ansh Patel impressed with his variations and control, claiming 3 wickets, while the rest of the bowlers found it difficult to stem the flow of runs.
Canada Chase: Dhaliwal Fights a Lone Battle
Chasing 214 was always going to be a tall order, and Canada lost early wickets, which put them on the back foot. South Africa’s pace attack struck at regular intervals, with Lungi Ngidi delivering a devastating spell.
The highlight of Canada’s innings was Navneet Dhaliwal, who played a courageous knock under pressure. Dhaliwal scored 64 runs, striking seven fours and one six, and briefly raised hopes of a competitive chase. However, his dismissal proved to be the turning point.
Canada managed to reach:
- 100 runs in 13.2 overs
But wickets kept falling at the other end. Harsh Thaker contributed 33 off 29 balls, while Yuvraj Samra added a quick 12, but the required run rate continued to climb.
Ngidi ran through the lower order, dismissing key batters including Nicholas Kirton and Dilpreet Bajwa, who fell for a first-ball duck.
Canada eventually finished at 156/8 in 20 overs, falling well short of the target.
Canada Batting Summary
| Batter | Runs | Balls | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navneet Dhaliwal | 64 | 49 | 7 | 1 |
| Harsh Thaker | 33 | 29 | 2 | 2 |
| Yuvraj Samra | 12 | 8 | 3 | 0 |
| Saad Bin Zafar | 11 | 12 | 1 | 0 |
South Africa Bowling: Ngidi Destroys Canada’s Middle Order
South Africa’s bowlers executed their plans perfectly. Lungi Ngidi was outstanding, finishing with 4 wickets, using pace and bounce to dismantle Canada’s batting lineup. He was well supported by Kagiso Rabada and Marco Jansen, who maintained relentless pressure.
South Africa Bowling Figures
| Bowler | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Lungi Ngidi | 4 |
| Kagiso Rabada | 1 |
| Marco Jansen | 1 |
| Corbin Bosch | 1 |
Full Team Line-ups
South Africa Playing XI
Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram (c), Ryan Rickelton, Dewald Brevis, David Miller, Tristan Stubbs, Marco Jansen, Corbin Bosch, Kagiso Rabada, Keshav Maharaj, Lungi Ngidi
Canada Playing XI
Dilpreet Bajwa (c), Yuvraj Samra, Navneet Dhaliwal, Nicholas Kirton, Shreyas Movva, Harsh Thaker, Saad Bin Zafar, Jaskaran Singh, Dillon Heyliger, Kaleem Sana, Ansh Patel
What This Means for Group D
With this convincing win, South Africa gained crucial net run rate advantage and reaffirmed their status as one of the strongest contenders in Group D. Canada, despite the loss, showed resilience and will look to bounce back in their upcoming fixtures.
The South africa vs canada clash ultimately highlighted South Africa’s experience, firepower, and tactical discipline—qualities that could take them deep into the T20 World Cup 2026.
